May 14, 2016, Perris California, Perris Raceway,

 Southern California Flat Track Association's

Championship Series, Round 4

Photos by Cindi Fears and Rodney Rutherford

Text by Rodney Rutherford

Under the lights, Southern California Flat Track Association's (SCFTA) round four raced bright, opening up a double header weekend with round five slated for the next day, Sunday. The twelve round SCFTA Championship series closes in the half way point of the season, and series battles are starting to heat up. We have over one-hundred and fifty entries and thirty-five classes, with twenty-nine main races to behold. Time to start heating up the hot plate with sliding friction and keep up the SCFTA racing tradition, let's race.

Kristian Daniel Jr. (46), Owen Williams (523), and Jasper Heathfield (713) racing in the 65-70cc 4-Stroke Beginner heat. Heathfield shot off the line and the lead was his for the rest of the main,capturing the win by over three seconds at the checkers. Daniel riding behind Williams in the early going, secured a pass before the finish for second, and Williams taking third. Cindi Fears Image

Travis Horn (25), Colin Petton (46) and Jasper Heathfield (713) racing out of turn two in the 65cc Open heat. Petton was out in front of the main with the holeshot, but Horn responded by making an outside pass out of turn two further into the race for the lead. Heathfield was able to get around Petton as well for second as the race neared the end. Horn takes the win, Heathfield second and Petton third. Cindi Fears Image

Dominic DeMario (10), Tanner Richey (13), and Travis Petton IV (82) around turn one in the 85cc 2-Stroke Amateur heat. Petton IV, has been starting on the penalty line intentionally, causing him to push harder off the start to catch up to the pack. In the main, Petton motored on for the lead and the win. Richey stuck the second and DeMario third. Petton IV also went on to a win the 85cc Open, with Richey continuing to progress another second behind Petton IV.Cindi Fears Image

Dominic DeMario, took out his frustrations on the 85-100cc 4-Stroke Novice, going home with the round four class win.

Rocco Landers, setting up for the back-stretch as he exits turn two in one of his heat races. Landers held the early lead in the 85cc Open main, slipping back to third by the end of the race. Landers brought the muscle to his racing well in the speedy SCFTA 85cc Open rank, getting his speedy just reward with the victory in the 85cc 2-Stroke Novice main. Cindi Fears Image

Out of Lemoore, Bryson Berna, taking the win in the 85cc-100cc 4-Stroke Amateur.

Paul Claybaugh (83) leads the way in the inter-class of Bomber Amateur and Novice heat, Ken Shilling (26B), John Farmer (13) and the rest of the pack into chase mode. Racing with SCFTA for five seasons, Claybaugh has been a staple of the SCFTA events and unrelenting in the quest to dominate the podium. At round three, Claybaugh rode to the main win in the Vet Super Senior over 60 Amateur/Novice main. Racing in the Bomber Amateur, he has railed to four second places in four starts and continues to get better. Feeling more comfortable than ever on his 1976 Yamaha TT-500, Claybaugh has worked his way into a being a regular on the podium in both classes, thanking wife Margaret, for all her help and advice. Claybaugh finished third in the Super Senior and Second in the Bomber Amateur for this night.

Borrowing his Dad's bike, a 1978 Yamaha TT-500, Hanson blew up the Bomber class. Entering the Bomber Novice class, he took a seat behind Bomber Amateur Claybaugh, as the inter-class main took their turn on the track. Hanson overwhelmed Claybaugh by lap three and the point was his, but Bomber Novice Dwayne Locke wanted to inflict his input on the race's finally position tucking in at second and forcing the pace after passing Claybaugh. Hanson battles back retaining the top spot to the checkers for the race win, and Locke right behind him in second.

Joe Pape (75), Dimitri Coste (67), and Jim Ottele (58Y) on his 1937 Indian Big Base Scout 750 bringing it at the start of the Classic Vintage main. Coste spurted into the lead at the tone of the green light, hard nosed competitor Ottele sliding in second and looking to get around Coste. Using his experience and the speed of his Indian, Ottele forces a pass by lap four. Ottele keeps it on the gas for the win, Coste, and Pape racing in at third.

Corey Bauman (53), Arnie Fry (45E), and Bob Stettler in a Senior Vet +50 Amateur heat. Fry rode to a second in the main, racing on to capture the Open Novice main win.

The largest class of the event was the Open Novice, with eleven racers creating a puff of white as they power off the chalk line. The eleven racer field was a little rough through turn one of the start, with Novice strongman Justin Hanson, getting stacked up and pushed to the outside. This gave Arnie Fry some room and he moved in for the lead, Chris Osborn in second. Fry sticks it out clean for the win, Hanson rebounding from the lap one melee rushing in for second, Shawn Chamlee third, Osborn fourth, and Parker Earhart closing out the top five in fifth.

Travis Friedrich (26), Justin Hanson (27), Chris Osborn (12N), and Shawn Chamlee (3B) rounding turn one in an Open Novice heat.

Seen here in Sunday's action, Clayton "The Gent" Williams, rang in the Open Expert loud and clear for this round four. After winning the Youth 250 Open, Grant Holmes kept his winning curve on the uptick commanding the early lead, James Ott second, Williams third, and Petton IV fourth. Lap five and it is the Williams show, as he storms into the top spot while Holmes is pushed wide by Ott giving up second. Williams takes the Open Expert win, Ott second, Petton IV passes his way into third, and Holmes fourth.

James Ott, a multiple SCFTA title holder, is now racing selected Amateur Nationals and forgoing racing the complete SCFTA series for 2016. Cindi Fears Image

Grant Holmes (7X) breaking wind in an Open Expert heat, Byron Kukla (92), Petton IV (82) and the pack in pursuit of Holmes.   Cindi Fears Image

Pro heat on the start, Nick Gil (17E), John Vanderlaan (12), and Colt Foster (84E). Cindi Fears Image
Enerlon's John Vanderlaan, reached in deep, and pulled away from Nick Gil in the twenty lap Pro main for the win. Gil a few seconds back for second, Colt Foster third.

Please go to http://www.SCFTAracing.com for schedule and point standings.

2016 SCFTA ROUND 4 RESULTS: